Lubricator attachment for steam-engines.



No. 657,94l. Patented Sept. 18, I900.

w. F. JOHNSTON.

LUBRICATOR ATTACHMENT FOR STEAM ENGINES.

(Application filed Mar. 9, 1900.\

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFI E.

WIL IAM F. JOHNSTON, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

LUBRICATOR ATTACHMENT FOR STEAM-ENGINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 657,941, datedSeptember 18, 1900. Application filed March 9, 1900. Serial No. 8,069.(No model.)

To 00% whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM F. JOHNSTON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Richmond, in the county of Henrico and State of Virginia,have invented a new and useful Lubricator. Attachment for Steam-Engines,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved lubricator attachment forsteam-engines, specially designed for use in connection with thevalvechest and piston-cylinder of the engine.

Heretofore it has been common to provide an oil-cup on the steam-chest,and it has also been proposed to provide means for utilizing thesteam-pressure in a manner to carry the lubricant along with the steaminto the Working parts of the chest. Practical experience with some ofthe types of lubricating devices on a locomotive-engine has shown thatthe lubricator is not effective at the period of operation of the enginewhen the lubricator would become most available-as, for example, whenthe-locomotive is engaged in hauling a heavy train up a steep grade andover mountainous sections of the track.

The object that I have in View is to provide a lubricator in which theparts are positively and automatically actuated by a moving elelnent of,the engine-such, for example, as the valve-rod-and the parts of mylubricator are so constructed and combined that leakage of steam isminimized in the operation of the lubricator by the valve-motion of theengine.

The elements of the lubricator are arranged for operation in a manner towholly avoid displacement of the lubricant by the pressure of the steamin the valve-chest, and as the lilbricator is positively actuated thenecessary supply of liquid lubricantisfed into the valvechest, so as tobe taken up by the steam and carriedto all the surfaces of the valve andthe piston which require constant and thorough lubrication. 7 p

The invention consists in the novel con- .struetion and arrangement ofparts, which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a portion of asteam-cylinder and a valvechest therefor, showing my improved lubri-"cator appliance of my invention.

cator applied to the chest. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional elevationthrough the lubri- Fig. 3 is a side elevation looking toward the left inthe direction of the arrow in, Fig. 2.

The same numerals of reference are used to indicate like andcorresponding parts in each of the several figures of the drawings;

In order that others may understand the application of my lubricator toan engine, I have illustrated a portion of the piston-cylinder at 5, thevalve-chest at 6, the valve-rod at 7, and a section of thevalve-operating rod a118, thelatter being coupled at 9 to theprotruding'end of the valve-rod. All of these parts are ordinary in theart. Hence no novelty therefor is claimed in this application.

In applying my lubricator to the val ve-chest I employ a threadedbushing 10, which is screwed into a tapped opening which is ordinarilyprovided in the upper side of the valve-chest for the reception of anordinary lubricator-cup.

The essential part of my lubricator is a feed-plug revoluble on ahorizontal axis and provided with a series of pockets adapted tosuccessively discharge a liquid lubricant in predetermined quantitiesinto the valve-chest, combined with a casing in which the plug is fittedin a steam-tight manner and means operable by the valve-motion forrotating the will now proceed to describe. This feed-plug 11 isessentially circular in cross-section and tapered from one end to theother, so as to secure the appearance of a cone, and said plug isprovided with an axial stem 12 and a series of comparatively-shallowpockets 13,

equidistant from each other, each pocket opening through the circularface of said feed-plug. A shell or casing 14 is provided with a conicalchamber 15 for the accommodation or seating of the revoluble plug, and 5IOO 13 in the revoluble feed-plug, whereby the liquid lubricant may besupplied by the passage 17 to one of the pockets, and on the rotation ofthe feed-plug the lubricant contained in the pocket is discharged intothe passage 16. A supply-pipe 18 is united by a coupling 19 to the upperthreaded nipple, which forms the feed-passage 17 to the chamber of theshell or casing. Another coupling 20 has threaded connection withanother nipple on the lower side of the shell or casing, which nipple isprovided with the passage 16. This coupling 20 is hollow to communicatewith the passage 16, and said coupling is furthermore screwed into thebushing 10, whereby the shell and plug of the lubricator are united tothe bushing 10, so as to be 'through for the passage of the stem 12 ofthe revoluble feed-plug. The cap 21 provides for the adjustment of theflanged gland 22, working within the open end of the shell 14 inopposition to the bushing-ring 22, seated f within the shell against theinterior shoulder 22 located approximately in the plane of one end ofthe feed-plug. Suitable packing 22 is confined between the gland and thebushing-ring, and these parts constitute an eifective stufiing-box forone end of the shell or casing to prevent leakage of steam or oil.

I desire to remark that the interior surface of the shell or casing andthe exterior surface of the plug are ground or finished in any of theusual ways known to those skilled in the art in a manner to make theplug accurately fit the chamber of the shell, thus producing asteam-tightjoint between the shell and plug, which minimizes the leakageof steam and wholly overcomes any tendency of the liquid lubricant to bedisplaced by the steam-pressure in the valve-chest. This is a veryimportant feature of my invention, because it insures the proper feed ofthe lubricant to the valve-chest and normally overcomes the leakage ofthe steam, with a consequent reduction in the steam-pressure at theplace where its energy is to be utilized in the propulsion of the engineA supporting-bracket 23 is provided with a plate 24 for the purpose ofsecurely fastening the same upon the top of the valve-chest at a pointalongside of and close to the casing of the feed-plug, thus providingmeans for bracing the operative parts of the valve attachment directlyfrom the top of the valve-chest and at a point remote from thelubricator-cup, which is arranged in the cab of the locomotive or otheraccessible point remote from the engine. This supporting-bracket isprovided at its upper end with a journal-bearing 25, which is disposedin axial alinement with the plug 11, and the stem 12 of this plug is ofsufficient length to extend from the cap or gland 21 and find itssupport in the journal-bearing 25 of said bracket. The extendedprotruding part of the plug-stem 12 is provided with a ratchet 26 at apoint between the bearing 25 and the cap or gland 21. A vibratory feed-I lever 27 is bifurcated or forked at one end to provide the legs 28,having the sleeves or collars 29. Ihis forked end of the lever isarranged for its sleeves or collars 29 to fit loosely on the plug-stem12 at points on opposite sides of the ratchet 26, whereby the feed-leveris fnlcrumed on the stem of the plug in a manner to embrace the ratchet.A feed-pawl 30 is arranged within the fork of the lever, so as to bepivotally mounted at its heel by means of the bolt 31, which passesthrough said le ver and the pawl. This pawl is disposed over the ratchetfor its nose to drop by gravity into engagement with the teeth of saidratchet, and iin the operation of the lever the pawl travelsftherewithfor the purpose of turning the lratchet when the lever ismoved in one direction; but on the reverse movement of the leiver thepawl slips idly over the teeth on said I ratchet.

Any suitable means may be provided for iconnecting the free end of thefeed-lever di- :rectly with a part of the valve-motion; but ias onemeans for the operation of the lever I ihave shown a jointed rod or arm32, one end iof which is connected by a pin or bolt with 1, aneye-formed upper end 33 of the feed-lever. Q'A cuif or sleeve 34 isclamped to the valve- }operatingrod 8, preferably at a point adja-';cent to the pivotal connection 9 between the l valve-stem and the saidvalve-operating rod i8, and to this cuff or sleeve is fastened the}other end of the angular rod 32. In operation the swinging andreciprocating movement given by the valve-motion to the rod 8 operatesthe jointed arm 32, as well asthe stem 7 of the slide-valve, the latterconftrolling the supply and exhaust of steam to g and from thepiston-cylinder. The movement iof the feed-lever 27 in one directioncauses the pawl to turn the ratchet and the stem 12 a suitabledistancesay one-fourth of a revolution. The pockets 13 of the feed-cupare brought into coincidence successively with the supply-passage 17, sothat each pocket will receive a limited or predetermined quantity of theliquid lubricant. On the rotation of the stem and plug by the action ofthe pawl-and-ratchet feed mechanism, which is operated automatically bythe valve-motion of the engine, the liquid lubricant is carried bythepockets of the feed-plug from the passage l7 and discharged into thepassage 16, from whence the lubricant drops by gravity into thesteam-chest, whereby the lubricant is taken up by the steam and carriedto all of the surfaces which require lubrication.

An oil cup or reservoir may be provided in the cab of thelocomotive orlocated at any 1 other accessible poin t remote from the engine,

so as to be arranged in a position for the pipe 18 to be connectedtherewith,so that the lubricant will be supplied by gravity from the cupinto the pipe 18 and thence to the feedplug. One advantage of placingthe lubricant-reservoir in the cab resides in the fact that thelubricant is kept by the heat from I the boiler in a liquefied conditionto permit of its free flowing to the distributing mechanism of thelubricator. It is evident that any suitable means may be employed forheating the lubricant, and thereby insuring its liquefaction.

From the foregoing it will be understood that it is essential to thesuccessful carrying out of the invention that the lubricant be permittedto be supplied by gravity into and through the pipe 18, thus adaptingthe attachment for use in connection with that type of gravity or dropfeed lubricators which are now commonly employed in connection withlocomotive-engines. This desirable result is accomplished by providing asteam-tight joint between the valve casing or shell and the rotatableplug therein, so that the said plug acts as a steam cut-off to preventthe back pressure of steam within the valve-chest from displacing theliquid lubricant in the pipe 18 or interfering with the action of thelubricator connected with said pipe. Of course a gravityfeed lubricatoris necessary to the successful carrying out of the invention; but any ofthe ordinary forms of such lubricators may be employed-such, forinstance, as shown in Patents Nos. 291,847, 324,339, or 645,026, cerrainof these patents disclosing what is commonly known in the art as theNathan lubricator.

It has already been explained that one advantage of placing thelubricant-reservoir in the cab resides in the fact that the lubricant iskept in a heated condition, thereby insuring the free flowing thereof bygravity into and through thepipe 18. While this would be a specialadvantage in connection with any form of reservoir located within thecab of a locomotive, still it is of special importance in 1 view of thefact that the present invention is designed-for use in connection withthat type oflubricators known as gravity or sight feed lubricators. Inother words, the inventionis in the nature of an automatically-actuatedfeedvalve attachment for an oil-conducting pipe which admits of the useof a gravity-feed lubricator in connection with the valve-chest of alocomotive-engine.

I am aware of the fact, as already stated, that it is common in the artto provide an oilcup on the valvechest and also to employ lubricant cupsor receptacles which are supported on top of the valve-chest andassociated with automatically-controlled valves; but it would beimpracticable to employ a gravity-feed lubricator in such position, Inthe first place, economy in the use of oil is a requirement whichlocomotive engineers in ust carefully observe,and lubricators which arenot immediately accessible and under control occasion unnecessary wasteon account of a surplus supply of oil being usually delivered to thepart to be lubricated. Therefore any lubricating device for the workingparts of the engine within the cylinder and valve-chest should be underthe direct control of the engineer, and consequently one of theimportant advantages of arranging the gravity-feed lubricator within thecab is that the feeding of the oil is always visible to the engineer,and he can readily manipulate the gravity-feed lubricator to provide forcontrolling or entirely cutting off the supply of oil to the pipe 18,irrespective of the oil-feed plug interposed in the line of the saidpipe 18. It may not be necessary at all times to feed the lubricant tothe valve-chest, and consequently by locating the gravity-feedlubricator within the cab this can be entirely controlled by theengineer, which result has not heretofore been possible in that type oflubricators providing means for automatically delivering measuredquantities of oil into the valve or steam chest of the engine.Furthermore, a gravity-feed lubricator upon the valvechest would be,very objectionable, not only on account of being beyond the immediatecontrol ,of the engineer, but also on account of the fact that the samewould be rendered entirely ineifective by cold weather,

which causes such a thickening of the oil in lubricators of that type asto interfere seriously with their operation.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the lubricatorof myinvention operates under all conditions in the service of theengine to supply the liquid lubricant in predetermined'quantities and ina regular manner, so that the lubricant is available to be ,taken by thesteam under the most adverse conditions in the service of the engine,where-' by in hauling heavy trains over steep grades the valve mechanismand thepiston-cylinder will be lubricated at the periods when thelubricant is most required.

Having thus described the invention, what Iclaim is- A lubricatorattachment for locomotive-engines comprising a valve-casing havingoppositely-located inlet and outlet passages for the lubricant, andhaving a direct rigid coupling connection with the valve-chest, anoil-con- IIO ducting pipe leading from a remotely-located lubricator andconnected with the inlet-passage of the valve-casin g upon the sideopposite its connection with the valve-chest, an automatically actuatedoil feed plug having a steam-tight fit within the casing and providedwith a stem projecting exterior thereto, valveactuating meanscooperating with the stem I outside of the valve-casing, and a separateexterior supporting and bracing bracket rigidly connected with thevalve-chest of the engine and having a bearing receiving the extremeouter end of the plug-stem,whereby the valvemy own I have hereto affixedmy signature in casing and the valve-actuating means are the presence oftwo Witnesses. mutually braced from the chest and vibrate V1 in harmonytherewith to insure the mainte- JOHNSlON' 5 nance of an operativerelation of the parts of Witnesses:

the attachment, substantially as set forth. JOHN H. SI GGERS,

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as EDWIN E. VROOMAN.

